Document Type
Article
Publication Date
8-2-2024
Abstract
Conservatorships (or guardianships, as they are called in some states) are ubiquitous in the United States, and they are extremely important and impactful to those affected by them, such as Michael Oher. Many people learned of Michael Oher thanks to the hit movie The Blind Side, which has earned more than $300 million to date and for which actress Sandra Bullock won the Academy Award for Actress in a Leading Role in 2009.
The Blind Side is based on the real-life story of Michael Oher, who went from foster care and homelessness, to star college football player, and to first-round pick in the NFL Draft. While in high school, the Tuohys, a family in Memphis, Tennessee, took an interest in Michael, and Michael subsequently lived with the Tuohys. Both The Blind Side and the book on which it is based portray Michael as having been adopted by Mr. and Mrs. Tuohy; however, many people were probably surprised to learn that the Tuohys never in fact adopted Michael. Instead, they became his legal co-conservators.
Part I of this Article dives into the story of Michael Oher, the Tuohys, and The Blind Side. Part II explores the details of Michael Oher’s conservatorship. Part III discusses common complaints about conservatorships in the United States and analyzes them with respect to Michael Oher’s conservatorship. Part IV discusses recommendations for conservatorships in the United States in an effort to remedy their current myriad of problems.
Recommended Citation
Drew Thornley, Michael Oher, the Tuohys, and The Blind Side: A Conservatorship Case Study, 47 SEATTLE U. L. REV. SUPRA 1 (2024).
